Nbadan
05-28-2005, 11:10 AM
WASHINGTON -- White House officials declined yesterday to give senators the extra documents they are seeking regarding John R. Bolton, President Bush's choice to become ambassador to the United Nations, setting up a major standoff with Senate Democrats over the long-troubled nomination.
<snip>
''John Bolton enjoys majority support, and it's a shame that Democrats are stopping a vote," said Erin Healy, a White House spokeswoman. ''This is about partisan politics, not documents."
Beset by allegations he bullied subordinates and holds the UN in contempt, Bolton's nomination has been controversial since Bush selected him in early March, and the White House's decision to hold fast on the documents will probably keep it in limbo even longer. Forty-one senators voted against closing off debate on Bolton -- enough to kill his nomination through indefinite delay, although some Democrats may be uncomfortable about mounting a filibuster amid Republican charges of obstructionism.
Senate Democrats want to see documents relating to Bolton's involvement in a report alleging that Syria possesses weapons of mass destruction. But the administration has said that such internal communications must be kept private to ensure candor within the administration's policy discussions.
Democrats also want 10 National Security Agency intelligence intercepts that Bolton requested, to determine whether Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, acted appropriately by asking for the names of Americans mentioned in the documents. The White House has allowed the chairman and the ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to review the intercepts, but only with the names of the 19 Americans mentioned in them blacked out.
...more...Boston.com (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/05/28/white_house_denies_senators_papers_on_bolton_nomin ation)
A little bit different approach by the administration than the "Senators have all the documents they need to make a decision on Bolton" approach they have been portraying in the corporate media. And I'm sure that the corporate whores will stand up for what is right and demand to see the Bolton documents, yeah, when hell freezes over!
<snip>
''John Bolton enjoys majority support, and it's a shame that Democrats are stopping a vote," said Erin Healy, a White House spokeswoman. ''This is about partisan politics, not documents."
Beset by allegations he bullied subordinates and holds the UN in contempt, Bolton's nomination has been controversial since Bush selected him in early March, and the White House's decision to hold fast on the documents will probably keep it in limbo even longer. Forty-one senators voted against closing off debate on Bolton -- enough to kill his nomination through indefinite delay, although some Democrats may be uncomfortable about mounting a filibuster amid Republican charges of obstructionism.
Senate Democrats want to see documents relating to Bolton's involvement in a report alleging that Syria possesses weapons of mass destruction. But the administration has said that such internal communications must be kept private to ensure candor within the administration's policy discussions.
Democrats also want 10 National Security Agency intelligence intercepts that Bolton requested, to determine whether Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, acted appropriately by asking for the names of Americans mentioned in the documents. The White House has allowed the chairman and the ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to review the intercepts, but only with the names of the 19 Americans mentioned in them blacked out.
...more...Boston.com (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/05/28/white_house_denies_senators_papers_on_bolton_nomin ation)
A little bit different approach by the administration than the "Senators have all the documents they need to make a decision on Bolton" approach they have been portraying in the corporate media. And I'm sure that the corporate whores will stand up for what is right and demand to see the Bolton documents, yeah, when hell freezes over!